Flag History | the flag is based on that of Turkey, itself a successor state to the Ottoman Empire |
Flag Date of Adoption | 1835 |
Flag Symbolism | red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star) and recalls Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire; red represents the blood shed by martyrs in the struggle against oppression, white stands for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam |